नववर्षाभिनन्दनम्, புத்தாண்டு வாழ்த்துக்கள்! Ramanavami is just a few days away, so I convey my greetings for that occasion too! रामनवमी शुभाशयाः ! ராமநவமி வணக்கங்கள்! If you are lucky enough, perhaps you will get to hear a lot of live Carnatic Music at this time of the year. My ‘cultural’ immersion was last month.
March started with a concert by Sanjeev Abhyankar. I have adored his music ever since I chanced upon his videos some 10+ years back. So, it was very exciting for me to finally hear him live. Oh! What a wonderful, ecstatic experience it was! His voice is just out of the world! What mastery! Ah! I floated in a little cloud of perfect music for the few days following. It’s quite impossible to convey one’s experience of music or art to someone else, is it not? My experiences are a result of multiple factors – the acuity of my senses (or lack thereof), cultural heritage, understanding of the music, past experiences, frame of mind and so on. Sadly, music to my ears, finally, is music particular only to my ears. Yet, here I am, somehow trying to share my experience with you all!
Back to March, I also had the pleasure of listening to a series of lectures by the very popular Dushyant Sridhar – seven days on Srimad Bhagavatam. His knowledge is impressive, as is his memory. He has excellent presentation skills; the discourses are peppered with touches of humour and music too. It is easy listening and quite entertaining. Did I come away with a lot of new information? I don’t think so. The subject is a familiar one as I have heard a few Bhagavata Saptahams online. But I genuinely enjoyed rushing off every evening to listen to him. What I didn’t enjoy is seeing the rising pile of saris waiting to be ironed in my cupboard! Fellow NRI ladies will appreciate my pain….
Then it was தலைவர் Sanjay Subrahmanyan’s concert which was quite wonderful! He has such stage presence! It has been many years since I heard him live. I think his voice sounds the best it has ever been. His knowledge and skills are, of course, quite amazing. My heart and soul were musically replete by the end of the concert.
With this happy state of my heart, I have chosen a kriti for you in which Tyagaraja explains exactly what I feel! Inta Saukhyamani in Raga Kapi gives such saukhyam! It is also my small comment on the furore currently raging in Carnatic Music circles. Tyagaraja says that – I paraphrase it here – Very few can relish the great, indescribable bliss which is the sweetness of Rama Nama mixed in with the nectar of music. Note – it clearly states how music is mixed in with devotion! I have been examining CM lyrics since I started this blog in January 2011. It is undisputably evident Carnatic Music is, in essence, Hindu devotional music. As a theist spiritual seeker, I consider listening to this music to be just as much of an act of devotion as going to a temple or performing puja. There is a ‘Places of Worship Act’ in India, so as to prohibit conversion of any place of worship and to maintain the religious character as it existed on the 15th August, 1947. Please, can we have a ‘Music of Worship Act’ too so as to stop the cultural misappropriation which seems to be happening here?
To present this music, I have chosen a rendition by P.Unnikrishnan whose soft and gentle voice is particularly suited to the gentility of Kapi, I think. I must say that most of the 10+ renditions I have listened to in the past few days were all good. There is something quite beautiful about this composition. I confess, I do have a tendency to listen to my favourite artists repeatedly (I heard 3 versions by KVN, my current addiction – do listen to him too. I should try and find one from the 1960’s, when he was younger.).
Footnote: Lyrics and Translation
Composer: Tyagaraja
Raga: Kapi
Language: Telugu
Note- I do not speak Telugu; I have used various online resources for the lyrics and translation, in particlar the site Thyagaraja Vaibhavam.
Transliteration in Devanagari
पल्लवि
इन्त सौख्यमनि ने जॆप्प जाल
ऎन्तो एमो ऎवरिकि तॆलुसुनो
अनुपल्लवि
दान्त सीता कान्त करुणा
स्वान्त प्रेमादुलके तॆलुसुनु कानि
चरणम्
स्वर राग लय सुधा रसमन्दु
वर राम नाममने कण्ड चक्कॆर –
मिश्रमु जेसि भुजिञ्चे
शंकरुनिकि तॆलुसुनु त्यागराज विनुत
Transliteration in English
pallavi
inta saukhyamani nE jeppa jAla
entO EmO evariki telusunO
anupallavi
dAnta sItA kAnta karuNA-
svAnta prEmAdulakE telusunu kAni
charaNam
svara rAga laya sudhA rasamandu
vara rAma nAmamanE kaNDa-
chakkera mishramu jEsi bhujinchE
shankaruniki telusunu tyAgarAja vinuta
Translation
pallavi
So great (inta) is this bliss/happiness (saukhyamu) that I (nE) an unable (jAla) to express it (jeppa)! Who (evariki) knows (telusunO) what (EmO) and how great (entO) it is?
anupallavi
The bliss/happiness (implied from pallavi) is known (telusunu) only to those (AdulakE) self-restrained people (dAnta) having innate (svAnta) compassion (karuNA) and love (prEma) for the spouse (kAnta) of sItA (=Lord Rama), otherwise (kAni) who knows what and how great it is? (from pallavi)
charaNam
That bliss/happiness (implied) is known (telusunu) by Lord Shiva (shankaruniki) who consumes/enjoys (bhujinchE) the sugar-candy (kaNDa chakkera) called (anE) the supreme/precious (vara) name of Rama (rAma nAma) after mixing (mishramu jEsi) in (andu) the nectarine (sudhA) essence (rasa) of music (implied) made of notes (svara), melodic framework (rAga) and rhythm (laya).
I also quote the following translation from ‘Lines of Devotion’ by A.V.S.Sarma Pulished in 1954
What Happy Ecstasies are enjoyed by those
Who chant the name of Rama nectar-like!
All those that conquer self and love the Lord,
Sita, and the great Siva, who combines sweet
Ambrosia of Swara, Raga, Laya
With Candy sugar of the name of Ram!
Notation is available here: http://www.shivkumar.org/music/intasaukhyamani-kapi.pdf
Music To My Ears 
Namaskaram and puthaandu nalvaazhthukkal. I am a regular reader-enjoyer-fan of your blog and in soon many ways what you write about echo my own thoughts that are dearest to my very own heart- you through your words and the choices of Kritis bring me closer to my Appa Amma and my childhood in Chennai and India.
Rhomba Santhoshi. Rhomba Rhomba Nandri. Vaazhthukkal
Kavitha Viswanathan
Thank you for the wishes and your wonderfully warm comment, Kavitha! I am so pleased that my words and musical offerings touch a chord in your heart, it is exactly what I do it for! I am grateful that you have shared that with me.
Cheers. Suja
Thank you for sharing this beautiful kirthi and your experience.
You are very welcome!
Cheers. Suja
I am one among the many followers of your blog. it is always inspiring to read. This particularbsong intha saukymani is my favorite one. Thank you. Wishing you a happy and prposperous tamilnewyear.
Thank you Utha for your kind wishes for the New Year! It is a lovely composition, isn’t it, so very pleasing to the ears! Glad you enjoyed the post.
Cheers. Suja
Protest ! No combining occasions to a common post. Separate Ramanavami post required :):)
புத்தாண்டு வாழ்த்துக்கள் to you too. Great that you have been going to concerts in March. It must be special since not many concerts come to your city, while we in India are spoilt for choice. Our Ramanavami season has started and yesterday we went to a Veena concert by Ramana Balachander. The main was Kapi ! Was hoping for the krithi you have featured here, but instead we got a very elaborate RTP (Grrrr !) But Kapi is such a lovely ragam, that I will excuse Ramana.
Interesting that you have featured Unnikrishnan. These days, he has sadly lost his voice and he doesn’t do many concerts – his concerts have become bad. But he is performing along with his daughter Uttara in a few days. Might go for that; she is coming along nicely.
Didn’t understand the reference to Lord Shiva in the charanam. Shiva enjoys the bliss from the name of Rama ?
Thank you for the வாழ்த்துக்கள் ! It is a pity if Unnikrishnan is not in good voice anymore, he has such a pleasant voice. In wonder why, he is quite young still. I remember listening to Dr. Balamuralikrishna when he was in his seventies. I had gone to the concert thinking rather sadly that I was going for nostalgia value. To my amazement, he was still in amazing form and his voice was powerful, with his full range. Not only that, but he also sang for almost 4 hrs straight! So yes, it is a bit sad when singers cannot keep up their voice quality.
You have asked an interesting question. Our scriptures depict mutual devotion between Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu (or his forms). You know, of course, of Lord Rama’s worship of Lord Shiva in Rameswaram as described in Ramayana. The reverse is not as clearly depicted but hinted at a number of times. In the Padma Purana version of Vishnu Sahasranama, there are a couple of verses which are recited by M.S. in her version so you will know it. It comes at the end, along with the phalastuti.
पार्वत्युवाच
केनोपायेन लघुना विष्णोर्नामसहस्रकम् ।
पठ्यते पण्डितैर्नित्यं श्रोतुमिच्छाम्यहं प्रभो ॥
ईश्वर उवाच
श्रीराम राम रामेति रमे रामे मनोरमे ।
सहस्रनाम तत्तुल्यं रामनाम वरानने ॥
When Parvati asks Lord Shiva: I would like to listen to (shrOtum icchami aham), O Lord (prabhO), any way in which (kEna upayEna) the thousand names of Vishnu (vishnornAmasahasrakam) can be recited (paTHyatE) everyday (nityam) by the learned (paNDitaih) in a short way (laghunA). To which Lord Shiva answers: Rama, Rama, Rama – thus (iti) I delight in (ramE) the name of the Rama (rAmE) which is most gratifying (manOrama). The name of Rama (rAma nAma) is equal to (tat tulyam) the thousand names (sahasra nAma), O Beautiful-Faced-One (vara AnanE – thus addressing Parvati).
So yes, Shiva enjoys the bliss of the name of Rama.
Cheers. Suja
Rendition of this song by Late Shri TVS was also a masterpiece!
I listened to a lot of versions recently, but missed that if TVS. Will listen today!
Cheers. Suja
NICE POST.
May I share MMI rendition?
Thank you! Yes, of course!
Cheers. Suja
M.S.Subbulakshmi sings Intha sowkyam
as always an interesting blog, choice of krishi and musician and accompanying thoughts. Music of worship Act is particularly welcome.
Thank you Shobana for taking an interest! Truly, it would be good to protect not just our physical heritage but also the non-physical ones like music, performance arts, language and so many other things too! Unfortunately, I think we are all being made to fit into one pattern….
Sadly,
Suja
Thanks for this blog. I stumble upon it from time to time, when I am looking for info about various Karnatik raaga-s. Somebody mentioned your post on Paluskar junior’s ‘thumak chalat’ on rasikas forum today, but I am not finding it. Perhaps you wrote that one long ago.
Since you mention Vechoor, check his granddaughter Ratnaprabha’s concerts on youtube. She is an excellent singer.
As for सदानन्द-ताण्डवम्, check a recent concert by Jyotsna Vivek. She is a superb singer, better than some of the more famous names.
And search youtube for ‘semmangudi ramanavami’ for a phenomenal concert the man presented on a Rama Navami in 1990s when he himself was 80+. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kdZ7T1LpK4 Incredibly beautiful.
Thank you for your comment. Perhaps they meant this post? https://sujamusic.wordpress.com/2011/03/18/thumak-chalat-ram-chandra/ It is very old, from 2011!
Thank you also for your recommendations. I will definitely check them out! There is so much music available online nowadays that it is impossible to keep up with one’s favourites, let alone newer artists. So it is good to have recommendations..
Cheers. Suja
Oh! another wonderful blog, kriti, and so much information in the comments section too! I just love your blog, Suja, the way you weave your personal experiences and the various kritis is so beautiful. And you echo so many of my thoughts too. The two I identified with in this blog were that music is such a personal experience and difficult to explain the full import to others, but you do express it beautifully.
And the second one is how carnatic music is equivalent to any prayer or worship. I agree wholeheartedly. Often when I am lost in music, I find all anger, grudges, pettiness and ‘dwesham’ melting away and feel it makes me a better person at least by a small measure and at least for some time 🙂 Sorry, I have rambled on and not sure if I have expressed myself clearly.
look forward to many more wonderful blogs. Take care.
Thank you Sudha! It’s so nice to meet my ‘mind-match’ across the world 🙂 You have expressed exactly like how I would; I understand you perfectly!
Cheers. Suja
Also wanted to add, as you have said, CM is undeniably Hindu devotional music. The public and many artistes too trying to separate the Bhakti element from it is just sad and inappropriate. Yes, music has no language barriers but that does not mean lyrics cease to have meaning! As BMK has said in many interviews, the great composers penned the lyrics in pure devotional fervour. Times may have changed but the intent of the kritis remains the same.
Well said! It’s like saying Gospel music should be non-denominational, or that a Sufi Hamd is wrong to apply to only one God! Sacred music is there in many communities, and people love and preserve them even if they do not have religious inclinations. I’m sad that people jump to destroy and demolish what they personally do not value, even if there is value in it for others.
suja